Could rats be getting bigger?

There are an estimated 10.5 million rats in the UK, and the vast majority of them generally stay hidden away from sight of the public. It may, however, be difficult for them to stay hidden if they are getting up to 18 inches long, as some frightening reports say.

According to scientists, rats could grow larger and larger to evolve to certain environments, eventually getting to be the size of sheep. This condition of small animals growing to be huge is called gigantism and is caused by smaller creatures stepping into environments left behind by much larger species.

In the UK, it could be the fault of humans that rats are getting so big. Rats love gnawing on food constantly and they generally find this food in the waste that we throw out. To make this problem worse, rats’ teeth never stop growing and they need to constantly eat so the rest of their bodies can keep up.

While not generally hostile to humans, rats are notorious for spreading disease. They carry diseases like Weil’s disease, thread worm, E. Coli, tuberculosis and salmonella, and this can pose a huge threat to households in the Yorkshire area who are victims of infestations.

Though the Selby-based team here at MJ Backhouse has certainly never dealt with 18 inch rodents, we’re experts at dealing with rat and mice infestation throughout the Yorkshire area.

If you are based in Leeds, Wakefield or Huddersfield and require the help of local pest control experts, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with us today by calling 0800 542 6359.